Monaco, Principality of Monaco (AFP)-Paul Pogba said during his unveiling at his new club Monaco on Thursday, a return to the French national team “would of course still be a dream and a bonus for me.”

The 2018 World Cup winner boasts 91 caps for France, but has not represented Les Bleus since March 2022 due to injuries and an 18-month suspension for doping, which ended four months ago.

“It’s the wish of every French football player to represent the France national team, but there are stages,” said the 32-year-old.

“Today I’m at stage one: coming back and performing well.

“There are spots to be won and you have to earn them because it’s a very, very good group, a great team,” he added.

In Pogba’s absence, France reached the final of the 2022 World Cup but were beaten on penalties by a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina.

They also reached the semi-finals of the European Championship last year, before losing 2-1 to eventual winners Spain.

Midfielder Pogba signed a two-year contract with Ligue 1 club Monaco on Saturday in a bid to relaunch his career.

The former Manchester United player has made only 12 appearances across the last three seasons due to injuries, suspension and an extortion case in which he was the victim.

Pogba failed a drugs test in August 2023 after a match for Juventus and has been free to return to football since March, although his contract at the Italian giants had been terminated last year.

In 2024, his brother Mathias was sentenced to three years in prison, with two years suspended, for his role in a plot to extort 13 million euros ($15.3 million) from Pogba in 2022.

Having won four Italian league titles with Juventus and the 2017 Europa League with English side Man United, Pogba will now play club football in his home country for the first time in his professional career.